Cantors Assembly Journal of Synagogue Music

Journal

Synagogue
Music

The Journal of Synagogue Music
Vol. 27 No. 1, Fall/Winter 2000
issn 0449-5 1 28

Copyright © 2000 the Cantors Assembly. All rights reserved.

Design and layout by GreeneHouse Consulting.
Front cover design by Florette Kupfer.

Journal of Synagogue Music

Vol. 2j No. i — Fall/ 'Winter 2000

Editorial Remarks

Hazzan Scott M. Sokol & Hazzan Neil Blumofe 3

4 Article )>

Nusach in the Eastern European Synagogue

Professor Sholom Kalib 6

<£ Notes )*

Music From the Wellspring of Living Waters

Hazzan Charles Davidson 28

Seeking the Faith to Hope

Hazzan Scott Sokol 37

4 Reviews )*

The New Sim Shalom

Hazzan Pinchas Spin 46

Seven Sinfonie a 5

Jeffrey Nussbaum 53

Let Jasmine Rain Down

Hazzan Scott Sokol 55

<( Hespedim ]?>

Hazzan Louis Klein

Hazzan Stephen Stein 58

Hazzan Gregor Shelkan

Hazzan Stephen Freedman 60

Hazzan Joshua Gluckstern-Reiss

Hazzan Henry Rosenblum 63

<( New Music >

Bracha Acharona

Hazzan Joshua Gluckstern-Reiss V't 66

Yism'chu

Hazzan Scott Sokol 68

Bracha Sh'vi'it

Andrew Greene 69

Editoral Remarks

Hazzan Scott M. Sokol
Hazzan Neil Blumofe

We are very pleased to present the Fall/Winter 2000 issue of The
Journalof Synagogue Music. As promised, we are dedicating theissue to the
memory of our dear friend and colleague Hazzan Joshua Gluckstern-
Reiss (Vt). Although Josh's contributions to the cantorate were greatly
limited by his tragic and untimely death, we know that he would have
been among the vanguard of 2 1 st century hazzanim. We hope this issue
will help to insure that his memory will be for an everlasting blessing.

The issue begins with a transcription of a seminal paper delivered
at the 1999 Cantors Assembly conference by Sholom Kalib on Eastern
European nusach. We thank Don Fischer for his extra efforts in bringing
this important paper to print. In our Notes section, Charles Davidson
presents an intriguing article documenting the unusual contributions
of JTS graduates and faculty to contemporary Jewish composition.
Next, Scott Sokol has transcribed a sermon he gave on Psalm 40 in
memory of Joshua Gluckstern-Reiss.

Our Reviews section begins with an important review by Pin-
chas Spiro on the new Siddur Sim Shalom. Jeffrey Nussbaum reviews
Duarte's Seven Sinfonia a 5, and Scott Sokol reviews an ethnomusi-
cology work on the Syrian Pizmonim.

This issue also includes three hespedim in memory of departed
colleagues. We thank Chaim Naj man for his loving account of the life of
Louis Klein (Vt), Stephen Freedman for his appreciative recollections
of Gregor Shelkan (Vt), and Henry Rosenblum for his moving remarks
at the levaya of Joshua Gluckstern-Reiss (Vt).

Three new compositions are also included in this issue. We are

pleased to publish posthumously a setting of Bracha Acharona by
Joshua Gluckstern-Reiss, which he wrote for his campers at Camp
Ramah in the Poconos. We thank Sheldon Levin and Jack Chomsky
for their help in transcribing this piece. Scott Sokol has included a
setting of Tism'cbu dedicated to Josh's memory, and Andrew Greene
(our typesetter) has provided a setting of the seventh blessing of the
Sbeva Brachot.

We hope you find the material interesting and enjoyable. Please
see the following page for instructions to prospective authors. Requests
for reprints or subscriptions should be sent to: Cantors Assembly,
3080 Broadway, Suite 6 13, New York, NY 10027, or send an e-mail to
caofEce@jtsa.edu.

Editorial Board

Hazzan Dr. Scott M. Sokol: Editor

Hazzan Neil Blumofe: Associate Editor

Hazzan Ira Bigeleisen, Hazzan Dr. Gerald Cohen, Dr. Marsha Bryan
Edelman, Hazzan Dr. Donald Fischer, Hazzan Stephen Freedman, Dr. Joshua
Jacobson, Hazzan Dr. Daniel Katz, Hazzan Dr. Jos eph Levine, Hazzan Dr.
Laurence Loeb, Hazzan Dr. Brian Mayer, Hazzan Eugene Rosner, Hazzan
Robert Scherr, Hazzan Dr. Saul Wachs and Hazzan Sam Weiss

Instructions for Contributors

The Journal of Synagogue Music publishes articles, notes and music of
broad interest to the hazzan and other Jewish musical professionals.
Articles of any length will be considered; however, the typical paper
will be between iooo and 10,000 words. The Journal of Synagogue Mu-
sic is peer-reviewed by its editorial board and occasionally outside
reviewers.

Submissions should be sent to either Hazzan Neil Blumofe or
Hazzan Scott Sokol. Two typed hard-copies should be sent along
with an electronic copy (on disk or as an e-mail attachment to
nblumofe@aol.com or cantsokol@aol.com). We can accept most elec-
tronic formats including Word for Mac or ibm (ibm preferred), Word-
perfect, Dagesh or Davkawriter. Musical submissions should be sent
as high-quality camera-ready copy (formatted for a 6"-by-9" page) or
as a Finale or midi file. (Finale is the preferred format.) Please con-
tact Scott Sokol for any additional questions regarding format for
submssions.

Nusach in the Eastern
European Synagogue:
Its Diverse Elements and
Interdependence with
Hazzanut

Sholom Kalib (The Cantors Assembly
Convention, April 21, 1999)

When invited to prepare a presentation for this year's convention
devoted to the hazzanut of the 20th century, the choice of a topic quickly
focused in my mind. Having been born and raised and having spent the
greater part of my adult life in the thick, so to speak, of the Eastern
European synagogal tradition as transplanted to the United States
during the first quarter or so of the 20th Century, I have personally
found it extremely difficult - indeed painful - to let go, as the forces
of acculturation and changing times slowly but steadily made inroads
into every aspect of that tradition. Consequently, when offered the
opportunity to speak to colleagues about the hazzanut of the past at
the last convention of this century, it seemed natural to me to focus
on nusach in the Eastern European synagogue, that is to say, as that
term was formerly understood and used in common parlance in all its
ramifications. Hence my subtitle, Its Diverse Elements and Interdependence
with Hazzanut. In discussing nusach as understood in the past, my

objective is not only to indulge in nostalgic reminiscences, but to recall
bits of our cultural heritage which have partially or totally faded into
history, in the hope our recollections of them will inspire hazzanic
practice and creativity of the future.

The term nusach as we most often speak of it today seems to
connote essentially a scale-basis and associated initiating and linking
motivic formulas as well as those of interior and final cadences. In the
past, nusach included considerably more.

I am reminded of some observations made in a symposium at the
first convention of the Cantors Assembly in 1948 by the late Chemjo
Vinaver. He recalled from his youth in Poland that tradition in prayer
did not begin with the service itself. There was, he explained, a sort
of 'nusach or steiger for the manner in which pious Jews approached and
entered the synagogue; for the manner in which they would assemble to
wash their hands after entering the synagogue; in the manner in which
the ba'alt'filab would throw his talk over his head and shoulders; and
in the way he would begin to intone the nusach of the weekday Minchah,
into which everyone would join spontaneously, because - as Vinaver
explained - it was in all of them.

I recall two incidents which, in retrospect, led me to the awareness
of a broadened concept of nusach. It was shortly after the High Holiday
season of my second year as a hazzan, when the elderly shames of my
congregation and I were "schmoozing," and he began criticizing the
ba'al Shacharit, stating in his Lithuanian-accented Yiddish, "Erken der
nusach fun diYamim Noraimdige Shacharis azoividu kenstdiYeim Kippurdige
Aveideh!" ("He knows the nusach of the High Holiday Shacharit like
you know that of the Tom Kippur Avodah!") Understandably, I felt
devastated. But then I thought to myself, I had intoned every single
word strictly in accordance with absolutely standard sources. What
could he be talking about?!

Even before that, while in my mid-teens, I was notating a few
selections from the Shabbat morning service from a ba'alt'filab, a Rabbi
Gershman of Chicago, who was the father of a classmate of mine at
the Chicago Jewish Academy, and a mevin (connoisseur) on davenen in
the truest sense of the word. Though not a practicing rabbi, he was

an intensely religious and very learned man in our sacred literature,
who required a truly devotional ambience in t'filah, which - according
to him - could be brought about only through absolute purity of
nusach haffila as he and his peers perceived that term. For him, the
fundamental criterion of a bazzan was his adherence to that level of
nusach. A bazzan might have an outstanding voice; he might be greatly
imaginative musically; but if his renditions were not convincingly
anchored within Rabbi Gershman's perception of nusach, to him the
bazzan was no bazzan.

And so, after he had chanted for me a few phrases from V'cholMi
Sbeos'kim B'tzor'cbe Tzibur, I read back the precise note-successions he
had sung to me. As he began to speak, I was certain he was going to
comment on my ability to notate and read back exactly what he had
chanted to me, as had happened in many a similar situation. To my
surprise, however, he stated nonchalantly in his Ukrainian-accented
Yiddish, "Nein, dus iz nit der nisach" ("No, that it not the nusach"). "Der
nisach iz azoi "("The nusach is like this"). And he proceeded to repeat the
opening phrases, which in terms of note successions were no different
from what I had read to him.

One could conclude that my old shames and Rabbi Gershman were
both musically illiterate - and of course they were - and dismiss their
reactions as baseless. But in time I came to realize that in communi-
cating a nusach, what mattered was not only the note-successions of the
standard motives within an assumed scale-basis, but rather how they
were applied and how they were brought out vocally and emotionally.
Of the available traditional motives within a nusach, did the motives
employed bring out effectively the meaning of the text? At least as
important was whether the ba'alt'filab or bazzan injected appropriate
and sufficient expression to make the congregant feel the explicit and
implicit sentiments evoked by the text on specific liturgical occasions.
All these considerations were included in the concept of nusach as un-
derstood universally in Eastern Europe, and in the United States, until
all the elements slowly became diluted to the point that the continued
existence of even the barest surface features have become threatened -
in far too many situations today - with extinction.

I would first like to discuss the aspect of nusach which governs
usages of motives and scale-basis, after which I would like to make
some observations regarding the aspect ofnusach which is determined
by considerations other than tonal.

For the first, I have chosen the nusach of En K'erk'cha from the
Shabbat Shacharit service. As we all know, from the beginning of the
Shacbarit, starting with Shochen Ad through KelAdon, the scale-basis is
the natural minor mode. Several of the key motives of the overall nusach
are capsulized in Sheken Chovas Kol Hay'tzurim (Ex. I ). The rendition is
by no means the best I could find, but one which I worked out in a way
in which I could stuff in most of the motives needed to relate it to En
K'erk'cha. Nevertheless, I think it is adequately representative.

Sheken Chovas Kol Hay'tzurim

t >u u

al kol div'-re shi-ros v'-sish-b' - chos.

BS 1' —

"I'^- i 'rrr ^ ^

d6 - vid ben yi -

rj j -j 11 j j p -j j j j p

y (Tabtal,e') (Ttbtel

^T

In the five -volume opus I have been working on in various phases
over approximately the past twenty years, entitled The Musical Tradition
of the Eastern European Synagogue, I have found it vital to distinguish
between various nusachim which are based upon the same scale or mode
and which share some motives in common, but which tend to minimize
or exclude motives that are staple in some nusachim but not in others. In
striving to find a way to define these distinctions in reasonably concrete
terms, I came upon the idea of reducing motives to their skeletal outline,
and in the process -similar to Joseph Levineinhis great book, Synagogue
Music in America - I found biblical cantillation motives staring me in
the face. And motives which did not occur in biblical cantillation, often
turned out to relate to motives common within the chant used in the
study of Talmud, to which I have applied the frequently used term,
the Study Mode. And I organized the collective motives operative
within a specific usage of a particular scale-basis into an illustrative

table, which could serve as a menu of motives within a specific nusach
as well as a frame of reference for analytical discussion. Though this
subject is beyond the scope of this morning's presentation, in order to
illustrate in tangible terms the similarities and differences between the
nusacbjust referred to vis-a-vis that of En K'erk'cha, I have indicated the
underlying motives beneath each staff of the various renditions with
their trap symbols. The parenthesized references below each motive
relate to the accompanying two tables of motives in Example 2:

Table I: Sheken Chovas K61 Hay'tzuiim

(Shochen Ad through Kel ddon)
Example 2

Calculation Motives:

a)

rrpj |'|i ^j , |"m 'rrn

Az-lo ge - resh Z6-kef go - dol_
id West-Central Eur. (E. Eur. Pent) (E. Eur. Pent.)

Tip - ch6 Sof p5-suk_
(E. and W.-C. Eur. Pent.)

Study Mode Motives:
a") g . 5 . 4 . 3 b') s . g . 5 0') 4 .

! i j j j jjiji J'jif jjji JMf J 11 .Mr . i n

Tip - cho Sof po-suk — Es-nach-t6

(E. Eur. Prophetic) (E. Eur. Prophetic)

Table II: Supplemental Motives for En K'erk'chd

Met - cho — Tip-cho Sof po-suk T' - vir

(West-Central Ear. Prophetic) (W.-C. Ear. Pent, and

W.-C. and E. Eur. Prophetic)

Table I (in Example 2) contains the motives operative within
my realization of the nusach of Sbeken Chovas Kol Hay'izurim, and at
the same time a partial listing of motives operative from Shochen Ad
through Kel Adon. Motives a through k (in the 4th staff) are within
biblical cantillation modes; motives a' through c' (in the last half of the
fourth staff) are within the Study Mode. For example, the first motive
of Sbeken Chovas matches the Gershayim, listed in Table I as motive a,
and as indicated there is part of the Eastern as well as West-Central
European Pentateuch Mode. The next two motives in Sbeken Chovas
Kol Haytzurim; Vfonecho Adoshem Elokenu veloke avosenu reduce to the
indicated motives underneath - 8-5-4-3 and 5-8-5 - which are Study-
Mode motives a and b' in Table I, etc. I will refer to some of these as
we proceed. And now back to the subject at hand:

From the Vracha of Yotzer Or through the 6 verses of Kel Adon,
in which God is extolled for Creation - particularly the illuminaries
in nature - a nusach evolved in Nusach S'fard congregations in Eastern
Europe and was continued in the United States through the first half
of the 20th century, more or less. It begins in a more elevated range
vis-a-vis that of Shochen Ad through Bar'cbu, and revolves around scale
degrees 4 and 6. Only towards a final cadence does this nusach revert

back to that of Shochen Ad through Bar'chu. This nusach was used in
Nusach S'fard congregations to intone the b'racba of Totzer Or and the
entire text ofHakolToducbo, verse by verse. Even though this procedure
was not practiced in Ashkenazic congregations, the nusach itself was
adopted in many Ashkenazic synagogues in Eastern Europe and in the
United States for the concluding verses of Hakol Toducbo, namely, En
K'erk'cbo. A model example is that of Israel Alter (Ex. 3):

En K'eik'cho

rs r _ 3 _ r>

i n 1 itfj i ] rn \ f i

■ fes bfl-t'-cho go - a - le

(4)

li - mos ha - mo - shi - ach.

-r *p'L-U

LjJ^

(Background motive acros:
phrases A through B)

(Background motive across
the entire piece)

i ' Lr ;j i i ' n i * i j

(Pash - to ko - ton)

(Tip - cho Sof po - suk)

A cursory glance at the goal notes of phrases A and B reveals the
background scale-degree succession 4- (note the careted numbers in
the staffbelow the text)-6-4~3 . These scale degrees are compressed into
a motive in the bottom staffof Ex. 3). This motive, alien to the nusach of
Shocben Ad through Bar'chu, is the West-Central European Haftarah-
ModeP<wi»?d!iCa/«K.Parenthetically,theoccurrenceof this West-Central
European cantillation motive in a nusach of Eastern Europe, where that
entire Haftarah cantillation mode was replaced by a totally different one,
tells us something of the historical evolution of the Eastern European
nusach in general, but is of course outside the scope of my subject this
morning.

The final 2 phrases C and D, however, return to the basic nusach of
Shochen Ad. This can be substantiated by comparing phrase C in Alter
with phrase D of Sheken Chovas (Ex. 1): in Alter, the words efes bilt'cha
goalenu reveal the overlying Study Mode motive, g-d-g (scale degrees
4-8-4) and the words limos hamoshiach carry the W-C Eur. Prophetic
Kadma vazla. Similarly, in Sheken Chovas (Ex. 1 ), phrase D, the words Al
koldiv're shiros vsishVchos reveal the overlying 8-4 interval, and include
the same Kadma v'azla on the words shiros vsishVchos. Looking at phrase
D of Alter, we see a variation of the E. Eur. Pentateuch T'vir and/or
the Vsigaleh motive on the words v'en domeh I 'cho, and the cadential note,
g (scale degree 4) on the word moshienu. Similarly, in Sheken Chovas
(Ex. 1), phrase C, the words Vromem, Vhader reveal the T'vir, and the
entire phrase cadences on g. Also the final cadence is identical in each.

I would like to digress once again for a moment to point out the
succession of goal notes in Alter following the mentioned 4-6-4-3
motive (the West-Central European Hafiarab-Modc Pasbta Katan)
which stretches across phrases A and B: namely, in phrases C and D,
the repeated pauses on g (scale degree 4), and the final cadence of
f-g-d (scale degrees 3-4-1), which is the final cadential Pentateuch Sof
pasuk. In summary, we arrive at the background note-succession, from
the very beginning: g— b-flat— g— f g— (f— g)— d, which reduces to the
second motive in the bottom staff in Alter (Ex. 3 ). It is the West-Central
European Haftarab-Mode Tipcha Sof pasuk, according to Naumbourg
and Wodak. This motive as well as the entire West-Central European
Haftarab-Mode, though replaced in Eastern Europe as mentioned,
was retained not only in certain Eastern European nusachim, but in the
b'rachot following the Haftarab (e.g., hamdaber umkayem, sbekol d'vorov

En K'erk'cho

Todros Greenberg

(Background motive across
the entire piece)

The closeness of the Greenberg rendition to that of Alter is as-
tounding. If we compare the Greenberg opening phrase {En k'erk'cha
Adoshem Elokenu ) with the entire phrase A in Alter, we see that they are
essentially the same. In Greenberg the coloratura on the word baolom,
from the structural point of view, merely prolongs the b-flat (scale de-
gree 6). Greenberg's phrase B, covering the words ven zulascho malkenu
Vchaye baolom hobo is entirely different from Alter: In Alter, you will re-
call, phrase B cadenced on F (scale-degree 3). In Greenberg, however,
phrase B cadences on g (scale-degree 4).

Phrase C in both Greenberg and Alter, however, reveals what im-
presses me as the miracle of our oral tradition: Except for the emphasis
on the word goalenu in Alter, both renditions are identical. In the final
phrase D, however, Greenberg is again totally different from Alter,
though both have returned to the nusach of Shochen Ad.

In the sub-title of my presentation this morning, I alluded to the
interdependence of nusach with hazzanut. It was indeed an inviolate
principle in the Eastern European synagogue that an extended impro-

n

visation or recitative had to be rooted in nusach. To be sure, certain
digressions were acceptable and incorporated. Nevertheless, and here
lies the emphasis: every hazzan knew he had to return to the nusach
either intermittently or at least by the end of a selection. This principle
lies at one end of the interdependence. On the other is the manner in
which nusach was dependent upon hazzanut.

In general, even the slightest differentiation between the deploy-
ment of a motive within a nusach by any two individuals results from
the improvisatory nature of nusach. And regardless how slight that
differentiation may be, it is brought about by the same substance and
procedure through which a basic nusach is embellished upon by a haz-
zan, ranging all the way to an extended hazzanic recitative. Beyond
that, however, in the Eastern European synagogue it was considered
praiseworthy - to say the least - for the hazzan as well as the ba'alt'filah
to embellish and render inspired expression to the prayers through
such deployments of nusach. This can be illustrated in the preceding
two treatments of En K'erk'cha :

With the exception of the coloratura in Greenberg in the third
and fourth measures on the word ba'olom, both the Greenberg and
Alter renditions are largely within what I term incipient hazzanut, that
is to say, at the level of basic nusach. Nevertheless, it is easily seen that
a hazzanic touch here and there, even in lesser-extended renditions
such as these enhances and beautifies the nusach musically, and more
importantly, brings greater expression to the literal meaning as well as
the perceived sentiments within the text. For example:

a) in Alter's phrase B, the effusive praise at the words v'en zulos'cho
malkenu ("and there is none other than You"); and the emphasis on the
word I'chaye ("in the life [of the world to come]");

b) in his phrase C, on the word goalenu ("[There is none but You,]
our Redeemer"); and

c) in his phrase D, on the word moshienu ("[And there is none like
you,] our Saviour")

d) in Greenberg 's phrase A, the opening melisma on the word En
("There is none [comparable to you]"); and the coloratura described
earlier on the word ba'olom depicts the breadth of "all this world",

especially the ascending maj or scale within it from the low to the higher
b-flat. It also expresses majesty in the intonation of those words.

e) in Greenberg's entire phrase B, he injects warmth and depth of
feeling characteristic of hazzanim as well as ba'ale t'filah of the Ukraine.
And similarly,

f) in his phrase D, at the words v'en domeh I'cho moshienu ("And
there is none like You, our Saviour.")

Another tradition or "school ofnusach," as it were, does not apply
the above-described nusach of the b'racha Yotzer Or and Hakol Yoducho
to En Kerk'cha with its more elevated opening through scale degrees 4
and 6. Rather, it merely proceeds in the mode of Shochen Ad. A model
example is the rendition of Adolph Katchko (Ex. 5):

En K'erk'ch6

The adherence to the nusacb of Shochen Ad becomes substantiated
by comparing Katchko's rendition with Sheken Cbovas (Ex. i) and/or
with phrases C and D in Alter and Greenberg, which revert back to that
nusacb. Katchko's phrase A is almost identical to the beginning of Ex.
i. Katchko's phrase B is elevated in order to render expression to the
words v'en zulos'cho malkenu, but differently than in the preceding nusacb
of En K'erk'cba ("And there is none other than You..."). Its outlining
pitches c-f (scale degrees 7-3, or 5- 1 in the context of the relative major
key of F) occur, however, in Ex. 1, phrase B. Katchko's phrase C is
identical to phrase C in Greenberg, and the beginning of Katchko's
phrase D is practically identical to the beginning of Alter's phrase D.
Katchko continues differently, however, descending to the sub-tonic,
c. This turn, however, is seen in Ex. 1 towards the final cadence on the
word yishai. The final motive in Katchko is identical to that of Alter.

A second example of En K'erk'cba within the same "school" as that
of Katchko is the rendition by Louis Yelsky. It begins one sentence
earlier than the 3 preceding treatments of this text. (Ex. 6)

En K'erk'cho

j/rVuxj J~Mi|i i n 1 1 ^

- cho mo - shi - e - nu !is'-chi - yas ha -me

■J^a r~:

tt-^-j r f i ^j' 1 ^.„ j

Yelsky, however, begins in the parallel major mode - in this in-
stance D major - outside the realm of the basic nusacb, but within a
license often used by hazzanim at Kulam ahuvim before introducing
the major-third phrygian mode at V'chulam Pos'chim es pihem. In both
situations the major mode, as used here, renders majesty to the words
involved. In this instance, it brings out the exalted spirit of the text : En
k'erk'cho v'en zulosecho, efes bilt'cho umi domeh loch ("There is none compa-
rable to You, and there is none but You. Who is like You?") However, as
mentioned earlier, it was assumed that a return to the basic nusacb was
mandatory. But a direct mutation to the parallel minor mode would
have probably come off as too abrupt. Yelsky therefore proceeds mo-
mentarily in the parallel major-third phrygian mode, which at least
retains the major third (f-sharp), common to the D major scale, in the
phrase En k'erk'cho Adosbem Elokenu bo'olom hazeh in his phrase B. Its
cadential motive, however, scale degrees (6-)5-4-3-4-5 resembles the
Gershayim motive within the nusacb of Shochen Ad (seen in Ex. I, the
opening motive).

In phrase C, treating the words v'en zulos'cho malkenu I'chaye bo'olom
hobo, the range is extended to the upper octave and its upper phrygian
neighboring note (e-flat), rendering inspired expression to the text
here. The motivic outline of this phrase, d-a d-a (the Study Mode
gesture 8-5 8-5), was seen within the nusacb of Shochen Ad (in Ex. 1,
phrase A, at the words I'fonecho Adosbem Elokenu).

In Yelsky 's phrase D, the words efes bilt'cho goalenu covers the tonal
space of c to g (scale degrees 7 to 4), which corresponds to the end of

phrase C in Greenberg and Katchko on the words limos hamoshiach. The
ensuing descent in Yelsky's phrase D on the words limos hamoshiach
along the Zarka motive of the Eastern European Pentateuch mode is
seen in Katchko 's phrase D at the words v'en domehVcho moshienu. Those
same words in Yelsky's phrase E coincide very closely with Alter's
phrase C on the words goalenu limos hamoshiach. The final cadence in
Yelsky is the same as that of Alter and Katchko.

In our considerations of elements in nusach thus far, we have pre-
sumed an underlying scale basis. There are prominent liturgical situ-
ations, however, in which this was not at all standard. A case in point
is B'rosh Hasbono Tikosevun. One can say that the majority of Eastern
European hazzanim included, at least at some point, the minor mode in
its higher plagal range, that is to say, in which the tonic note occurs in the
middle range rather than at the bottom (for example, A minor, in which
the tonic note, a, is in the middle of a basic range of approximately e
to e), and a subsequent mutation to the parallel major-third phrygian
(A phrygian) in that range. But there are highly notable exceptions
even to that, in recitatives I have seen by GanchofF, Katchko, Lind, and
Malavsky But there is no consistency at all as to whether one begins
in the plagal or authentic range, nor in which scale basis one begins,
because some begin in the minor mode, others in the maj or-third phry-
gian, while still others begin in the major Vidui mode. Does that mean
that there is no nusach for B'rosh Hashonoh} Not hardly.

As illustration, I will play a rendition of B'rosh Hashonoh by
Pinchik, recorded live at a Rosh Hashonoh service in the 1950s. As
we will hear, he is davening; he is sort of talking along musical pitches,
uttering the words somberly, which tell that on Rosh Hashonoh it is
written and on Tom Kippur it is sealed who will live and who will die;
and a scale basis seems to be Pinchik's least concern. In case you might
be led to believe that he did not know the difference between a minor
and maj or-third phrygian mode, allow me to tell you of an incident
which dramatically illustrates how masterful a musican he was.

It was in 1 95 1 , in Chicago, when I was preparing a men's choir for
him for the coming High Holidays, and we were rehearsing the M'loch
by Zeid'l Rovner. Particularly the last section of the piece sounded dull

in the original key of F minor when sung by a male double quartet,
and the section beginning at Kad'sbenu b'mitzvosecho really needed a
large group in order to come off effectively. So Pinchik suggested he
come in at Kad'sbenu and modulate from F minor to G minor leading
to the words Ki ato Elokim ernes, whereupon I asked him, "how can you
accomplish that smoothly in so short a passage?" Without saying a
word, he proceeded to do exactly that. When he ended, I had heard
nothing that seemed noticeable enough to have brought him up a tone
higher than he had begun. And I questioned him, "but you said you
were going to cadence in G." He merely looked at me, said nothing, as
if waiting for me to proceed. I checked with my pitch pipe, and by golly,
he had modulated to G minor! Astounded, I looked at him and said,
"How did you do that? I can't believe it! I was listening for the change
and did not hear how you could have ended up in G. Would you please
do that again?" And he did. He started back in F minor, and I followed
as intently as I possibly could, determined not to lose him. Yes, at one
point, there was something that seemed for a moment to be slightly
unusual, but it was so smooth, so convincing, so securely grounded
within the nusacb, I tell you it was practically imperceptible. And he
ended so tastefully with the typical Rosh Hashonoh cadence, squarely in
G minor:

For years I have been obsessed trying to figure out what he could
have done to achieve that uncanny feat. So I can personally attest to
the fact that Pinchik knew the meaning of key and mode. The terms
Ahavah Rabah,Magen Avot, and the like were not part of his vocabulary,
but - wow! - did he know their content. And now let us listen:

^rnnnjjn up i rnuu,

. Parlando _ _ w __

j i, j j T3 n u j.jij j ^ r^

B'-rosh ha - sho - n6 yi - ko - se - vun u - v'-yom tzom ki - pur ye. - cho - se - mun

v'-cha-mo v'-cha-mo yi-bo-re - un — B'-rosh ha - sho-no yi-k6-se-vun u-v'-yom tzom

ki-pur ye-cho-se-mun ka - mo ka - mo ka-m6 ya -

> LJ LJ P f ^niu [J H ^p

sho - no yi - ko - se - vun u - v'-yom tzom ki - pur ye - cho - se - mun ka-m6

m hh r^n a rn j i

yasv-run v'-cha - mo v'-cha - mo v'-cha-mo yi-bo-re - un

m

n i « b f rrn fnjp}\rj] j j j

=s=

g j ^ i >g o lj Lr j cj ^

mi v* - Id - tzo

. lo lo — lo lo v' - ki - tzo

in n jTn i i. j;,.ii m \ s j *j i

- ki - tzo B' - rosh ha - sho - no yi - ko - se -

$~pun$ i. m P n ^ gi

.mauLri'LLLrcj^ i Lr c-r

a-tz6-mo oi B' - rosh ha-sh6 - no yi-ko-se-\

yom tzom Id - pur ye - cho - se

So he does not stay within a specific mode. He vacillates back
and forth between the minor and major- third phrygian modes. In this
instance, however, his nusach is heard in the manner in which he makes
the listener feel the gravity and textual content of the prayer, and how
he brings into relief the sentiments experienced by the average Jew

of Eastern Europe on Rosh Hashonoh and Tom Kippur at the moment
of Un'sane Tokef. His nusach is heard in the manner in which he voices
the very real yiras shomayim ("fear of heaven") which permeated the
Eastern European synagogal community in general, and its very real
awe and fear of the. yom hadin ("day of judgment") in particular. And
in the final analysis, it was precisely the depth of those fundamental
assumptions which brought about, established, and stringently main-
tained the nusachim whose structures evolved upon specific scale-bases
and motives, such as those of En K'erk'cbo, discussed earlier. The re-
mainder of the rendition is in the plagal range of the minor mode and
subsequently in the same range of the major-third phrygian mode, as
in most other renditions of B'rosb Hashonoh. But the notes and phrases
by and of themselves do not achieve the nusach, even here. They bring
out merely what I have termed in my work - The Musical Tradition of
the Eastern European Synagogue - the quantitative element, that which is
measurable. The rest falls into the category which I have termed the
qualitative element, that which is perceptible, though not measurable,
not tangible, as we hear (Ex. 7, from m. 48, last two notes):

In conclusion, it is the totality of all the factors touched upon
this morning which comprised the nusach hat'filoh as understood by
the Eastern European Jew. Hopefully, the solicitousness with which
our time-hallowed nusachim were maintained whether quantitatively
or qualitatively by our musical-liturgical ancestry will inspire us to
re-incorporate them and re-sanctify them as the building stones of
future creativity in synagogue music.

Mekor Hayyim-Music
From the Wellspring of
Living Waters: Jewish
Composers from the
Seminary

by Hazzan Charles Davidson

It is an extraordinary fact that, since its inception in 1 9 5 2, the Sem-
inary's Cantors Institute, now the H.L. Miller Cantorial School, has
been a magnet for Jewish composers, attracting teachers and students
to a school whose primary focus is to train hazzanim for the Conser-
vative Movement. Over these past 48 years, the Seminary's cantorial
school has been blessed with a music faculty that many conservatories
would envy and they and the school's graduates now constitute the
majority of American composers active in the field of Jewish music.

During our people's history, inventive hazzanim, payytanim,
tune-smiths and others often created melodies for the prayer service
which embellished the traditional prayer chant of the hazzan. These
inventions were for the most part temporal and rarely outlived the life
spans of their creators. Often times they were adaptations (contrafact)
of secular melodies already in general use. They had a familiar ring
and were easy to learn. This process continues in our own time.

In 1 9th century Europe, however, Jewish music took a new direc-
tion. Solomon Sulzer, his students and his contemporaries, trained

musicians who were aware of the works of Schubert, Schumann,
Mendelssohn and others, wrote compositions for the synagogue in
a classic style. They also included in their work the modes and motives
of nusah ha-Tefillah, the core of prayer chant. They wanted to express
the intent and emotional content of the prayer texts through composed
music which adhered to the "science" of musical composition. This
was as true in eastern Europe (Gerowitch, B.L. Rosowsky, Weintraub,
Nowokovsky) as it was in western Europe (Sulzer, Lewandowsky,
Naumbourg, Friedmann, Kirschner).

This manner of composition continued in mid-20th century
America when conservatory trained composers (Helfman, Binder,
Freed, Hugo Adler,Weiner, Piket, Achron, Fromm, Schalit, KosakofF,
Weinberg, Jacobi) wrote a large number of works for the synagogue
service. Their places have since been taken by fine composers still writ-
ing "legitimate" (adhering to conservatory standards) music for the
Reform wing (Samuel Adler, Steinberg, Isaacson, Sargon and Richards
among others).

In the Conservative Movement, the Seminary's Cantors Insti-
tute/H.L. Miller Cantorial School has and continues to supply com-
posers of Jewish music for American Jewry and is arguably the most
important musical institution in American Jewish life. Most of the
teaching faculty of the school have been composers with national and
international reputations. By their instruction and their example they
have inspired a generation of Conservative cantor-composers who cre-
ate for the synagogue much as cantor-composers Sulzer, Naumbourg,
Friedmann, Lewandowski, Weintraub, Gerowitch, and others did in
1 9th century Europe. These alumni of the Seminary's cantorial school
have solid musical credentials, have been trained as composers, under-
stand nusah ha-Tefillah and have practical experience in the service:
Qualities necessary for those who compose music for the synagogue.

From the very outset, the faculty of the school was headed by a
composer, Hugo Weisgall, and seemed to have been chosen not only
for their skill and ability to teach their particular specialties but also
because of their reputations as composers. Weisgall himself, actively
composing until his death last year, was the dean of American opera

composers, writing eight operas, eight song cycles and much choral
music. His "Six Characters in Search of an Author" (Pirandello) was
considered the most significant American opera of the past 50 years.
Born in Ivancice, Czechoslovakia, the son of Hazzan Abba Weisgal,
and raised in Baltimore, he received his doctorate in German from
Johns Hopkins University, a degree in composition and conducting
from the Curtis Institute, was the recipient of three Guggenheim Fel-
lowships, president of the American Academy and Institute of Arts
and Letters, Professor of Music at Queens College and a conductor
of note. Many of his works are rooted in Jewish tradition, such as
his last full-length opera "Esther," his orchestral work "Tekiatot Sho-
far Sounds," song cycles such as "The Golden Peacock," "Der Rebbe
Elimelekh" and others. A modernist, his music is uncompromising,
powerful and cogent, as was his own personality. Weisgall was an ob-
servant Jew, mindful of tradition and a Sabbath observer regardless of
premieres and performances of his music. He taught scores of aspiring
composers and was a consultant to many opera companies and music
centers. From the early years of the school until his passing he was a
forceful influence in the Cantors Institute and upon its students.

Max Wohlberg, who began his teaching career at the Cantors
Institute in 1 95 1 , fully one year before it was officially opened, was ac-
knowledged internationally as a composer, teacher, hazzan and scholar.
Born in Hommona, Hungary, his first studies were in the yeshivot of
Kraszna, Nagy Karoly and Szatmar. He emigrated to the United States
in 1923 and studied Jewish music on his own. Largely self-taught,
he became a world-recognized expert in the field of Jewish music.
Most of his musical compositions have a stamp of Jewish authentic-
ity because of the abundance of cantillation and synagogal motives
incorporated in them. His written comments, essays and notes on all
aspects of Jewish music are voluminous. Working in tandem with
Weisgall in developing the school and its faculty he became the first
occupant of the Nathan Cummings Chair and Professor of Nusah and
Liturgy. Wohlberg developed a scientific approach to the study of
prayer chant and successfully passed this system on to generations of
men and women in the American cantorate. An outstanding composer

of recitatives, his music continues to be sung in synagogues around the
world.

Solomon Rosowsky became known as the "codifier" of biblical
cantillation in the Palestinian- Lithuanian tradition after the publica-
tion in 1957 of his life's opus "The Cantillation of the Bible." This ex-
haustive treatise established a norm for the art and science of the tropal
system. He was an important teacher in the early days of the school,
delighting the students with his unique personality and sense of hu-
mor. He also favored a strict approach to the grammatical and musical
rules of the tropal system. His father was the famous Hazzan Boruch
Leib Rosowsky of Riga, Latvia, also a composer. Recruited by Weis-
gall, Solomon Rosowsky was a member of the St. Petersburg Society
for Jewish Folk Music, and had been a student of Rimsky-Korsakov.
He was an important link between the school and the Russian Jew-
ish Zionists who were in the composing wing of the Society (Engel,
Achron, Milner, Saminsky, Krein, Gniessen and others). Cantillation
students of his often "stayed after class" to hear him play "Hatikvah"
in its original harmonization as well as his own compositions.

Albert Weisser, noted bibliographer, historian and writer, was a
composer whose music remains mostly in manuscript form. His classes
in the analyses of music were from a compositional point of view. A
man who shared his encyclopedic knowledge of Jewish musical history
with an easy grace, his "Modern Renaissance of Jewish Music" is an
important source for the St. Petersburg era. Nephew of the famous
hazzan Joshua Weisser, Albert's stories and intimate knowledge of the
cantorial world of the early years of this century were an added bonus
to his scholarly presentations.

Sigfried Landau was a noted conductor of choral and orchestral
groups during his years at the school: The Brooklyn Philharmonia,
Westchester Symphony and Westphalia Symphony Orchestra among
others. He was also a composer and his practical experience as music
director of New York's Spanish-Portuguese synagogue, Shearith Israel,
gave him insights into the music of Spanish Jewry which surfaced in
his own compositions. His seminars in the classical vocal repertoire
(Bach, Schubert, Schumann, Wolf and others) benefited from his own

experiences as a composer and conductor.

Miriam Gideon, who taught composition, counterpoint and har-
mony at the Cantors Institute starting in 1955, was not only an ex-
ceptional and noted composer, but a teacher who gave her students
compositional tools and imbued in them the desire to create music.
Called by some "America's premiere woman composer," her response
was always that she was a composer who happened to be a woman. Her
many works included a "Symphonia Brevis," an opera "Fortunato,"
string quartets, sonatas for strings, woodwinds and others, song cy-
cles for various ensembles as well as sacred works for the synagogue.
Her particular gift may have been for vocal works set to the poetry
of many languages and her elegant and intimate lyricism. A review of
her music in 1972 stated that "she was able to combine the refractory
twelve-tone method and an American Expressionism and make them
serve her personal imagery." Born in Greely. Colorado, her father was a
rabbi who took an academic position at Colorado State College. From
her thirteenth year until maturity she spent most of her time with her
uncle, Henry Gideon, the musical director of Temple Israel in Boston,
through whom she met and studied with Lazare Saminsky and later,
Roger Sessions. She taught at Brooklyn College, the City College of
New York and the Manhattan School of Music. Her husband was the
Hebrew scholar and writer, Frederick Ewen. Gideon was awarded an
honorary doctorate from the Seminary in 1970. Of her many students
at the school, more than a few have gone on to become recognized com-
posers. This was due in large part to her remarkable influence upon
her students and her faith in their potential.

Herman Berlinski ('5 6), composer and pianist, was a refugee from
the Nazi scourge and already a trained musician and composer when he
arrived in New York. He had lived for a short while in Paris where he
was musical director and pianist for the Yiddish Theatre group, Piet. In
America, he was befriended by composer Lazare Saminsky, composer
and Music Director of Temple Emanu-El. Determined to become
an organ virtuoso, Berlinski was permitted to practise on the organ at
Temple Emanu-El at night. Seeking a graduate degree in composition,
he enrolled in the Cantors Institute, became a member of the faculty

and received his doctorate in composition from the Seminary College
of Jewish Music in i960. He has been a musical force in America and
in Europe for 40 years and is known for his large works for organ as
well as compositions for voice and for orchestra. His piece "Kiddush
Ha-Shem, an Oratorio for the Holocaust for Orchestra and Choir,"
is his favorite and most ambitious work. Berlinski's works have been
performed frequently throughout the United States and Europe, and he
has been accepted warmly in Germany through the many performances
of his compositions.

Tzipporah Jochsberger ('57), who received her doctorate from
the Seminary College of Jewish Music in 1972 lives in Israel. She is a
composer of fine sensitivity and has written works for challil as well
as for chorus. She is well known as the founder of The Hebrew Arts
School in New York.

Moshe Taube and David Koussevitzky, world famous as cantors
and composers were instrumental in fostering an intimate knowledge
of hazzanut among their many students when they served as revered
faculty members of the Cantors Institute.

Matthew Lazar, with a long history of conducting Jewish choirs,
and instrumental in creating the current renaissance of Jewish choral
singing in the United States, has always had close ties to the Seminary's
cantorial school and to its composers. A former faculty member of
the Cantors Institute, a composer and arranger as well as conductor,
his background in jazz has helped him create a contemporary musical
language that has been adopted by some current liturgical composers.

Boaz Tarsi ('89), a graduate of the Cantors Institute, was born and
raised in Kibbutz Hahotrim and had established himself as composer
and singer in Israel following graduation from the Rubin Academy
in Jerusalem. His composition "Biquah Recitative and Dance" won
the Israeli Sinfonietta competition for new compositions and has been
widely performed and broadcast. With a doctorate from Cornell Uni-
versity, he heads the Music Department of the H.L. Miller School and
continues to add to his long list of impressive works which included
"Ani Halachti Az," "Ma Tir'ash Avi," "Yarad Ha'ish El Hamidbar" and
"Concert Aria" for soprano and symphony orchestra. More recently

"Mediterranean Melodies" for the Michelstdadter Musiknacht Festi-
val, "From the Song of Songs," "Five Love Songs" amd "Song Dance
and Chorale Fantasy" have had premieres in America and Germany. His
works have biblical or Jewish themes: works for instruments, chamber
ensemble, piano and others. His musical language is contemporary
and angular. A scholar in the field oinusab ha-Tefillah, he is active as a
theorist and writer with an emphasis on the prayer music of European
Jewry and the music and philosophy of Arnold Schoenberg.

Arthur Yolkoff ('59) exhibited compositional talents early in life
and began to compose seriously under the influence of Hugo Weisgall
while still a student in the school. In his lifetime he produced attractive
and accessible music for youthful voices such as "Shirat Atideinu" in
1966.

Joseph Ness ('86) is another composer who may have been drawn
to the Seminary's music school because of its faculty and reputation.
After receiving his degree from the Manhattan School of Music where
he studied composition with Charles Wuorinen, Nicolas Flagello and
others, he graduated from the Cantors Institute and became a faculty
member. He is a fine and prolific composer writing for orchestra, cham-
ber ensemble and voice. Currently the recipient of many commissions
from contemporary music groups, indefatigable and constantly work-
ing on material, he has earned a reputation as an exceptionally able
arranger and orchestrator.

Charles Osborne ('87), who had a national reputation as a lyric
tenor before he began his cantorial studies, has recently developed his
compositional technique in a meaningful manner. A graduate of the
Hartt School of Music, he studied composition at the Cantors Institute
with both Weisgall and Gideon and has since written accessible and
attractive pieces such as "Samachti B'omrim Li" which have the poten-
tial to become standards for Jewish choral groups. Also the composer
of larger works, a cantata "A Tree of Life" and "Souls on Fire," he is
active as a conductor and organizer of choral groups and will continue
to make important contributions in the future.

Gerald Cohen, after studies at Yale and a doctoral degree in
composition from Columbia, became a faculty member in the Music

Department of the H.L. Miller School. A recipient of many awards,
prizes and grants, residencies at the MacDowell Colony, the Millay
Colony, the Virginia Center for Creative Arts and Yaddo, he won Yale
University's Sudler prize for outstanding achievement in the creative
arts. His teachers included Jack Beeson and Mario Davidovsky He
has written instrumental as well as vocal works and is earning a reputa-
tion for solidly constructed music-forms that are satisfying and lyrical.
Among his compositions are vocal works based upon the psalms, par-
ticularly the beautiful "Adonai Ro'i Lo Echsar," variations on themes
from the Sephardic heritage, string quartets, music for chamber ensem-
ble, music for brass, "Songs of Tagore" and "Tour of India" (music for
the dance). Some of his recent pieces have successfully integrated can-
torial lines with an accompaniment of uncommon delicacy, a technique
that for him, may portend a future trend.

Lawrence Avery, a graduate of the Juilliard School and for many
years an outstanding hazzan and soloist is now a faculty member at the
H.L. Miller School. He is a composer of long standing. His insightful
coaching at the school and his experience as a performer is reflected in
his meaningful and very accessible compositions for voice.

Faculty member Noach Schall is a legendary teacher of hazzanim,
a composer and arranger of note and an inexhaustible and reliable
source of cantorial legends and lore. He continues to collect, arrange,
transcribe and compose recitatives and choral works in the traditional
eastern European manner.

Ralph Schlossberg ('70) is steeped in Jewish melos from a family
with a cantorial background and writes music of sensitivity and lyric
beauty that has wide appeal.

Yossi Zucker ('83) was drawn to the Cantors Institute because
of his background in contemporary composition at the University of
Illinois. After graduation from the cantorial school he made aliyah to
Israel where he lived for some years in Kibbutz Hanaton and became a
member of the Israel Composers League. He and his family have since
moved to Tel Aviv where he is now head of Or-Tav Music Publications.

Graduate Jerome Kopmar ('61), after years of exceptional work
with synagogue youth choirs in Ohio, has become known as a prolific

composer. Combining his knowledge of hazzanut with his expertise and
experience in conducting choirs of children and adults, he composes
workable and melodic pieces for solo and chorus which have a strongly
traditional flavor.

Arnold Saltzman ('80) another distinguished graduate, has re-
cently shown ability in the larger musical forms. Returning to a com-
positional bent first evinced inhis early years, hecreditsMiriamGideon
with his return to composition. His recent opera "Touro," "Israel Sym-
phony" and other works reveal him to be a composer as well as a
talented hazzan.

Eugene Rosner ('84) is another product of the school who has
recently emerged as a composer, thanks to his training with Gideon.
His piece "Tze'enah Ur'enah" for French Horn, Chorus and Organ,
dedicated to her, is derived from a "Mi-Sinai" tune he learned during
his studies at the Cantors Institute.

Rick Berlin ('00) has drawn from years of experience singing in
the choirs of cantorial greats and combined this with newly found
knowledge of the nusah ha-Tefillah and the Jewish modes to create in
a uniquely personal style.

Without doubt, there are other graduates of the school who
are composing and contributing in meaningful manner, and whose
accomplishments have not been listed here.

A retrospective look at American Jewish music in the last quarter
of the 20th century shows that the faculty and composer-graduates of
the Cantors Institute/H.L. Miller Cantorial School have had a ma-
jor and quite disproportionate influence on synagogue music and on
the general Jewish musical scene in America. For whatever reason,
the school has been a bellwether for composers, both teachers and
students. The phenomenon of one school's inordinate contribution to
Jewish music will continue into the next century. The cantor-composer
graduates and Faculty of the H.L. Miller School of the Jewish The-
ological Seminary would seem to be the spiritual inheritors of the
European cantor-composers who made such a significant contribution
to the music of the synagogue.

36

Seeking the Faith to Hope:
Personal Reflections on
Psalm 40

Hazzan Scott Sokol

Each year, it seems to me that Shabbat Sbirab comes just a little bit
earlier; I guess that's because for the past few years, it has come just a
bit earlier given the vagaries of the Jewish calendar. Now that we're in
the midst of a leap year, I guess that for next years' sermon, I'll finally
have a few more weeks to prepare.

But the earliness of the shabbat was really only one of a few
problems I had this year coming up with a sermon. Another one was
simply that after giving several divrei torah on Shabbat Shirab, it gets
a bit harder each year to find something of import to share. This of
course is a problem congregational rabbis face every week no doubt.

Another more serious problem was that as I thought about various
topics in this week's parasba, my mind kept wandering to a different
place, and after a few attempts to move it back on course, I decided to let
it just wander there. The place of wandering was to thoughts of a dear
friend of mine, Hazzan Joshua Gluckstern-Reiss (Vl). Many of you
may remember hearing about Josh last year when he died tragically at
the age of 28 after a year-long battle with leukemia. The reason for my

* Editor's note: It is the tradition in my synagogue, as I know it is in many
of yours, for the hazzan to give the sermon each Shabbat Shirah. Although I
have the opportunity to preach on several other shabbatot during the year, on
Shabbat Shirah I try to present something which relates to the hazzan's role

37

thinking about Josh now - although frankly I think about him quite
often - is that last Sunday marked the unveiling of his headstone, and
I unfortunately was unable to be there.

Last year you may recall I talked a bit about the passing of my
grandmother, and I certainly don't want you to think that I will always
be talking about similarly depressing topics, but I really couldn't
let Josh's yabrtzeit approach without saying a few words about him,
especially in the context of this week and this parasba.

Josh was an extraordinary hazzan and an extraordinary person.
He and I were classmates; we started the same year at JTS and took
almost all of our classes together. I graduated early from the program,
but we always stayed in touch, although in retrospect, of course not
nearly enough. Of all of our classmates, I think Josh had the most raw
talent. He had a great tenor voice, and seemed to gravitate naturally to
hazzanus. He was no slouch in the intellect department either, and was
always seeking out texts to motivate his thinking and his singing. He
would undoubtedly have become one of the great hazzanim of our age,
and so his loss is a profound one to the cantorate and to the Conservative
movement, let alone to all those who knew and loved him. The loss to
his wife, Rabbi Karen Gluckstern-Reiss is immeasurable and almost
unimaginable. (Some of you may remember Karen since she gave a
d'var torah from this pulpit about six years ago when I first came to
KI.) Karen's struggle to understand and to live after Josh's death is a
struggle which many have no doubt experienced, but one which for me
has been particularly hard to witness.

Not only did Josh contribute in his active lifetime, but he was
able to do so during his illness and dying as well. During the time
of his illness, Josh became something of the Jewish poster child for
bone-marrow transplantation, raising the consciousness of many to
the supreme importance of bone-marrow donation. Josh's sickness was
also the catalyst for an important initiative of the Cantors Assembly,

in the synagogue or which highlights the importance of music or liturgy to
Jewish life. Given that this issue has been dedicated to the memory of our
colleague, Hazzan Joshua Gluckstern-Reiss, we decided to publish this piece
although much of its content may not be novel to the JSM reader.

38

the Barchenu Project, which continues to the present day. As part
of Barchenu, members of the Cantors Assembly set aside time each
Tuesday to recite the entire Sefer Tehillim, that is the Book of Psalms.
Every participating hazzan agrees to recite one Psalm alone or with his
minyan or students. Last year, I participated each week, often with the
assistance of my religious school class. At the end of each recitation of
our assigned Psalm, we each say a collective Mi Sheberach for cholim,
members of our individual and global community who are ill.

As you might imagine, it is an extremely powerful and affirming
experience for us, especially knowing that our voices are being joined
by those of hazzanim literally world-wide. Inasmuch as we try to rotate
the assigned Psalm or Psalms, so that no one person always recites the
same text, the Barchenu Project also afforded me a great opportunity
to become better acquainted with this important body of liturgy.

For Josh, one Psalm, Psalm 40 had particular significance, and
it became the habit of many of my colleagues to add Psalm 40 to
our daily prayers and our Barchenu Psalm recitations in order to feel
a bit more connected with Josh and to offer emotional and spiritual
support to him and his wife Karen. This group recitation of Psalm
40 outgrew even the confines of the cantorate, though. Indeed, at last
year's Grammy Awards, the singer Lauryn Hill recited a portion of
Psalm 40 in response to a general call for its recitation. I doubt she
knew exactly why or for whom she was reciting the Psalm, but it was
just another example of Josh's power to move people towards God

As a result of Josh's intimacy with this Psalm, I decided to use it
as the basis for a bit of a text study with you today. I chose this Psalm as
well because I think it is a great exemplar of the entire book. Before we
look at this Psalm in some detail, I'd like to talk a bit about the Psalms
in general, which is admitedly something of a departure from my usual
focus on Parashat Beshalach itself. As you'll see, though, it turns out to
be very related indeed.

The term Psalm comes to us via Latin and Greek. The Latin term
for the book is Liber Psalmorum, which is related to the Greek term for a
song accompanied by a stringed instrument. Another related name for
the book is the Psalter. Both names were attempted translations of the

Hebrew word Mizmor, a peculiar word which occurs in many headings
of the Psalms, but which is not found outside of the Book itself, that
is in any other part of the Tanach. The Hebrew term for the book of
Psalms is somewhat different from the English, Latin or Greek: it is TSD
uh7\T\, which is best translated as Book of, Songs of Praise. The root
of uhr\T\ is of course hhr\ which means praise. Nahum Sarna, the noted
bible scholar, points out that this choice for the collection's name is
not indicated by any usual aspect of the text, for example the common
practice of using the first word of a Torahparasha to name it. The choice
is no doubt influenced by the fact that the root V?n and its related
term "hallelujah" occur nowhere else in the Bible. But calling the book
Sefer Tehillim is also a value-laden choice since many of the Psalms are
frankly not especially concerned with praising God. Sarna argues that
the use of the term was a conscious effort on the part of the Rabbis to
emphasize the devotional function of the Psalms for the reciter, which
they felt was the most important aspect to the book.

Sefer Tehillim has served as the Jew's primary source of medita-
tions since their writing. As is stated at the beginning of the Artscroll
edition of the Book of Psalms,

In joy and grieving, in thanksgiving and beseeching, the Jew
reached for Tehillim. In it he found every emotion, every mission,
every challenge, every vicissitude. It was swollen with his tears of
gladness and pain, and through its words, he emulated its author,
the Sweet Singer of Israel.

This sweet singer of Israel is of course none other than David
haMelech, the warrior and minstral who is said to have merited the
writing of Sefer Tehillim by dint of his miraculous voice and musical
prodigy, rather than his piety.

There are 150 psalms by most people's count, although there
are somewhat less traditional ways to effect the counting involving
different subdivisions of the material which can result in anywhere
from 146 to 1 59 psalms. That said, the number 150 seems to have been
the preferred rendering. The 1 50 are often divided into 5 uneven books,

an organization which was likely a purposeful imitation of the Five
Books of the Torah. As it says in Midrash Tehillim, "Moses gave Israel
five books of the Torah and David gave Israel five books of the Psalms."

This organization of Psalms into five books goes beyond a mere
surface similarity, however. Indeed, there are those who believe that
each of the Psalms corresponds to a weekly parasha of Torah, similar
to the haftarot, although the connections are not always definitive.

I fancied this idea that each Psalm has a natural connection to a
parasha and so asked myself which Psalm would belong to this week's
parasha, beshallach} After some research and a lot of consideration I
decided coincidentally (or perhaps not so coincidentally), that it was
none other than Psalm 40. I'll tell you why I think so in a second,
but I just want you to know that I really didn't begin looking at this
Psalm today because of its apparent linkage to the parasha; rather, the
analogy developed for me as I started studying the text in preparation
for -today's d'var.

So why do I think that Psalm 40 is the Psalm which most closely
evokes today's parasha. It is because of the specific linkage to what is
arguably the most evocative part of Paras hat Beshallach, Shirat Hay am,
the Song of the Sea. As you know, I have spoken about the shirah
for several years now. In my first sermon on the shirah I talked about
its structure, and you might recall that the shirah contains exactly 18
verses, that magic number. As you can see from your handout, so does
Psalm 40. Coincidence? Maybe, maybe not.

Another interesting similarity is where the two texts sit relative
to the textual bodies in which they are contained. Parasha! B'shallach is
the 1 6thparasha of the ^parshiyot of the Torah. Psalm 40 is of course
the 40th of the 1 50. Mathematically, these two fractions form almost
exactly the same ratio, somewhere between a quarter and a third of
the way into their respective texts. Coincidence? Again, maybe yes and
maybe no. After all, as the saying goes, coincidence may just be God's
way of remaining anonymous.

Of course, I'm not the first person to find a strong allusion to
the shirah in Psalm 40. Rashi argues that at least two sentences of
Psalm 40 directly allude to the shirah. In Verse 4, he argues that the

term V\T\ *W refers specifically to Shirat Hay am and that in Verse 10,
pti" WittO, tidings of righteousness, refers to both Shirat Hayam and
Shirat Devorah, for which this shabbat is named. There are several other
strong similarities between aspects of the two texts, some of which I'll
point out as we get into it.

So what is this Psalm about, and why do I think it such a good
exemplar of the Book of Psalms in general? Put simply, Psalm 40 is a
psalm about struggle. Specifically, it recounts King David's struggle
with and recovery from illness, but it speaks on a much broader level
as well about man's struggle in life and God's place in that struggle.

Let's look at the Psalm a bit, starting at the very beginning. Un-
fortunately, time constraints won't allow us to get too far, but even just
looking at the beginning will give us a good taste of this exquisite poem.

The first three words, "lipm ITjh ranaS are themselves fascinating.
First of all is the term reua 1 ? which in modern Hebrew would mean
'to the conductor', as in an orchestral conductor. This term is one of
a great many in the Psalms which scholars believe indicate musical
instructions of some kind. Another incidentally is the term, mSyan "W,
which is perhaps best translated as a song which rises in pitch. Getting
back to n^JaS, the root here is nyj which refers to victory or winning.
Some authorities feel that this term is referring to God as He is the
one who is the nyjQ implying the one who brings about or allows for
victory. I'll return to this thought in a minute.

The next term of interest is "liptn ljf>, which literally means "to
David a song." This term appears in many other Psalms in reversed
order as well, i.e., tnb ~iiDta,"a song to David.'The Talmud tells us that
there is a significant difference between these two orders. When the
Psalmist says Mizmor I'D avid, it implies that David used the medium
of song to bring on a spiritual state of nearness to God, whereas VDcmd
Mizmor, implies that a pre-existing spiritual state of God's presence
caused David to compose a song to express the soaring emotion that the
state of mind engendered. In both cases, though, music and prophecy
are clearly tied to one another. (As an aside, I like to think that this is
one of the reasons why the sh'liach tsibur is called Hazzan, which may
be said to derive in part from the word ptn meaning prophecy.)

In the next sentence of the Psalm, David recalls,

tijw vum hx w 71 ^ri^p nip,

I have hoped and hoped in God and He has heard my plea.

The mfarshim point out that what is significant here is not so much
the result that God answered his plea, but rather the process by which
David hoped. Put a different way, David was seeking the faith to hope,
and that is what is meant by kavo kiviti Adoshem, I have hoped for the
ability to hope, for the continued faith in God despite the adversity that
is placed in my path. This is truly the theme of Psalm 40 in a nutshell,
and one might argue the quintessential theme of the entire Book of
Psalms, that is, an impassioned plea to God for the faith to continue
the struggle that is for better or worse often our lot in life. As we are
reminded in Shemot Rabbah, "if your hopes have not been realized,
hope and hope again. In Egypt, the Israelites in bondage cried out again
and again, and only then God heard their cries."

- A related theme is picked up in the fourth pasuk of the Psalm,
according to the commentator Radak. David here acknowledges that
God has put in his mouth a new song. David is not merely thanking
God for his ultimate salvation; he perceives that even the inspiration to
sing is itself a divine gift, a concept which hazzanim no doubt resonate
with. Radak argues that it is incumbent upon each of us to create a new
song of praise to God in recognition of each new miracle he performs
for our benefit. This is of course what Moshe and then Miriam did at
the Sea of Reeds in today's parasha, and I think it is why it says "Az
yashir Moshe u 'vneiyisrael et hashira hazot I Adoshem" that is Moses and
the children of Israel sang a song to God, implying that each person
offered his or her own personal battel.

Another extremely important theme is implied in Verse 5,

incqn 71 uv-^vx t^n ns>K

Happy is the man who places God as his trust.

The term gever here is not accidental. David might have as easily
said, ashrei haisb, as he does in Psalm 1, "happy is the man." The word
gever evokes the term gibor, warrior or hero. The man being described
here is one who is mighty and strong and perhaps, one might think,
who does not require God as the locus of his trust; he can after all

trust in himself and his abilities. But the hero depicted here is one who
has his own personal strength, yet still hopes in God. What is being
implied here is a reciprocal relationship and a partnership between
man and God, for God of course is the ultimate gibor, the one who
carries out g'vurot that we acknowledge in every Amidah of the year.
This partnership again reminds me very much of today 'sparasha, in the
story of Nachshon ben Aminadav, the Israelite whom the midrash tells
us was the first to enter the Sea of Reeds when it was still raging and
unparted. Surely he had great courage to fling himself into the mighty
waves, but that courage sprang from an assurance in the reliability of
God, and this is the type of gever that David is speaking about.

Permit me to end with just one more of the themes of this Psalm,
and that is how we deal with our pain and with God's inscrutability.
David is clearly familiar with pain. He speaks throughout the Psalm
of the turbulent pit, of the seething mire that is often our lot. He has
experienced firsthand the "evils without number" as he puts it which are
omnipresent. Frankly, I can't read this Psalm without being explicitly
reminded of these evils in my own life. How can one continue at all, let
alone continue with faith in God in the wake of tragedies such as my
friend Josh's seemingly senseless passing?

Yet David in the same breath reminds us that our inestimable pain
exists in the same universe as our inestimable joy. Indeed, he knows
that it would be impossible to speak of all the good that God has
done, and adjures us to be as quick to remember these aspects of God's
affbrdances.

When considering the balance, David is left with the realization
that yStc "pi? I ftc, "none can compare with You," which sounds sus-
piciously like another pasuk in today's parasha, '7\ D^bQ roto~*p? Who
indeed?

In the end, there can be no human accounting of God. Nonetheless,
we hope against hope, kavo kivinu that God's accounting of us will at
least be for the good.

nratfrHtj: T^i* hjrk ^dVsoi to "h yo\v duhk jraisn >jy I >:k)

"As for me, I am poor and needy; God, think of me for Tou are my help and
my rescuer. My God, do not delay!"

References

Feuer, A.C. (1996). Psalms: A new translation with a commentary
anthologized from talmudic, midrashic and rabbinic sources. Brooklyn, NY:
Mesorah Publications, Ltd. (Artscroll).

Sarna, N.M. (1994). On the Book of Psalms: Exploring the prayers of
ancient Israel. New York: Schocken Books.

The New Edition of
"Siddur Sim Shalom":
How Much Better is It?

Hazzan Pinchas Spiro

I want to point out from the outset that this article is not an
objective review of the new edition of DW WO TRp. Rather, it is a frank
report to the membership of the Cantors Assembly of my limited
involvement in the preparation of this new edition, and of my personal
reactions upon examining the finished product. I must add a caveat that
this article is just one hazzan's opinion, and that it does not necessarily
reflect the official position of the Cantors Assembly.

I wish I could say that the new edition of WW WO "lffD is an
unqualified success. While I am indeed happy to say that it is a big, big
improvement on the first edition, I must add that it still has flaws that
should and could have been avoided.

When the first edition of WW WO "lffD was being prepared, the
Cantors Assembly was not involved in the process at all, even though,
as "TOY Trfyf, we are the synagogue functionaries most directly involved
and concerned with the Hebrew content of the prayer book. When the
first edition was completed, each member of the Cantors Assembly
received a complimentary copy with the request that they give it their
support.

When the second edition of WW WO "TTTD was contemplated,
the Cantors Assembly was asked to participate and to appoint several
members to the Prayer Book Commission. I was one of those appointed
and I gave this assignment a great deal of time and thought. I was

46

never invited to any of the meetings, but at one point I was sent a
rough draft of parts of the contemplated revised edition, and was
asked to submit my written "reactions, criticism and suggestions." I
immediately complied with the request and sent the editors a long
letter with my detailed reactions, criticism and urgent suggestions. I
did not receive an acknowledgment of my exhaustive letter, or to any
of my later communications. Last winter, I was sent a preliminary,
uncorrected proof of the new edition and again was asked for my
reactions. I was glad to see that several of the suggestions I had made
had been heeded, but I was sorry to see that others were ignored. Again,
I sent the editors a long list of suggestions and corrections, even though
it was obvious that they were about to finalize the new edition and could
consider only suggestions of the cosmetic variety.

Having said all that, let me randomly list for you some of the
improvements as well as the flaws of the new edition of tihw UW "TRD as
I see them. Let me start with some of the major improvements:

• The complete Table of Contents appears in the very beginning of
the prayer book, rather than having it scattered throughout the prayer
book. One can finally find any prayer with ease.

• The new edition concentrates only on the Shabbat and Festival
prayers, leaving the Weekday prayers for a separate volume. This helps
avoid some of the confusion of the first edition and reduces the weight
of the prayer book.

• The outdated and misleading term "Reader" has been replaced
by the correct term, "Hazzan".

• The beautiful DWS of HIT ITfl have been restored, at least for
the first two days of ItDS.

Unfortunately, there are also some serious flaws. Where, for in-
stance, is the logic of restoring the DWS of 'HH FTTH for the first and
second days of ItDS, but discarding it for "tvian Sin P30, and why omit
the beautiful 7W3>h UV for riDS hv 'V'O.W? Space was obviously not an
important consideration since the editors have found room for the 4
pages of the esoteric |WK, the 4 double pages of rUEHpN, and let us not
forget the 26 pages of J"IUN ^"13.

The most controversial departure from the "traditional" Siddur is,

no doubt, adding the names of the Matriarchs to those of the Patriarchs
intheJlUK of thertTOy. Personally, I applaud the courage and foresight
of the editors in this respect, but it will probably upset some rabbis,
hazzanim and congregants. I was glad to see that the editors of the
new edition have done something which should make this radical
change more acceptable to all. Recognizing the diversity of practice
in Conservative synagogues, and anticipating the objections of some,
the editors have provided a solution that should satisfy everyone. The
ntlK section of each HTQy now comes in two parallel, consecutive pages
which bear the designation "a" and "b" with the same page number. Page
"a" contains the traditional version, mentioning only the Patriarchs;
page "b" contains the names of the three Patriarchs as well as the four
Matriarchs. That means that instead of imposing a radical change on
everyone, the decision is left up to the individuals who use the book.
The same principle had been applied in the first edition to several other
alternative prayers. For instance, in the ^DIO, there is one version of the
text which includes the traditional reference to the nijznj? (with a minor
difference), and another version which omits any reference to them.

I was pleased to see the correct version of the "Hazkarah" (page
ioo) as practiced in Israel.

Instead of: nnm riN ...rub: nnua tqan...D > arn nhn ^n

now it is, as it should be: nnmh..,np: rran Kmn...D>arn sSa hx

This, by the way, is how the Chief Hazzan of the I.D.F. chants it.
In the Blessing of the Month, in the first edition (page 418) there
was a change that made sense to me.

Instead of the traditional ntn ICHinn m why OTW... f\r\ >n>

the text became: ban UHinn JIN wVy OTW... f\T\ VTJ

For some reason, the new edition (page 1 50) reverted back to:

n-tn irrtnn

The first edition (page 722) contained an added verse following

uyhv nfw:

nSii? Tin nrivo ^ini -]r\Kx liatfn jrn-h^i -jwS "^-mr rasfya ^

I was sorry to see that in the second edition it was discarded. I
think it was a meaningful addition, and I miss it. My point is that
continuity from one edition to the next should be an important con-

sideration. Changes or omissions should be made only when there is a
most compelling reason to do so.

I want to mention two errors that, at first glance, appear to be
merely typos: In the Torah Service section (page 141) the new edition
shows us how to call up a female to the Torah, but it does so incorrectly:
])wtc\ ra -riayri

It should be: ruwto na "riay.Fi

Another mistake appears in ftxb tqi (page 228): The fOj? in PTW
fttCl is a [DJ7 fQj7 (shom-ra) and not aSili fDj? (sha-m'-ra). "Shomra zot"
is the imperative (Guard this), while "Sham'razot" is the feminine past
tense (She guarded this).

Nit-picking? Not really. I know that these are not typographical
errors because I had noticed them in the rough draft and I called the
attention of the editors to both these mistakes.

In my first list of "reactions, criticism and suggestions," I called
attention to the fact that combining several special occasions into one
service, requiring the worshipper to read many instructions and, on
several occasions, to skip pages, tended to rob the service of its natural
flow and served as distraction to HJp3 nV>2.Fl. In the first edition, the
weekday and Shabbat D^flCTQ for l£Hin 10fcO had been combined into
one rrpav. In the new edition, since the Weekday portions were not
included, they decided (in order to save space?) to combine the t|WQ for
tSHin mS raw with the *$W for niu Di\ The result is the same confusion,
page skipping, and distraction. One needs a "Road Map" with detailed
instructions in order to navigate through the prayer book.

For years, I have been battling in vain with those who insist on
chanting the opening line of the Kaddish as follows:

nrrabo jhm armrq tea «r KaSya ,ten am? vnprn Vwr

(pause and then continue, as a new phrase:)

3to«p rra Soi *ny\ f\ynv2) jto^na

When translated into English, this phrasing doesn't make any
sense, yet most people chant it this way because "it is traditional." I
insisted that the correct phrasing, in accordance with the meaning of
the text, should be:

^rwp kid n tcnbya ,tcn nw vnprn Vwr

Jtkw>_ rra brt *tcr [fcratoi prma .nraSg -pScn

The new edition has come up with a new twist. The new phrasing
is:

(pause) ,nnUTQ (pause) ,tCO ,T t Kgbv3 ,ten » WJpJW "?W

Jaorep rra "737 mx foipit ifcwra .nrioSn jScn

(Note that the pronunciation of WTOns is with a3 and not aD.) The
difference is this: In the usual translation it is: "Exalted and sanctified
be His great Name in the world which He created according to His
will." In the new version, the translation is: "Exalted and sanctified be
His great Name in the world which He created, as is His wish." In
other words, it is God's wish that we exalt and sanctify His name. The
editors based this interpretation on "the earliest rabbinic texts extant."
This may very well be a valid interpretation, but the over-statement in
the Introduction that those who interpret it otherwise miss the point of
the prayer, is going much too far. The confusion that this new version
is likely to create is not worth it. As the rabbis of old have said: Ti^ff K£
.HDsrm '

In the old RA prayer book (edited by Rabbi Morris Silverman),
in the passage of WJTU fc6l in the JTW, the traditional text of UTRJOa UX\
ah-}V U3tff? c6 "had been changed to D>ytsn U31£» t6 inrmgs. DJ1. In the
first edition of DiV WV 11TD , the text has reverted back to tthyt. In
my written suggestions to the editorial committee, I had expressed my
discomfort with the change from D'W'i back to whty. The new edition
retained theD^Viy version. However, I find it interesting that the English
translation of this line in the first edition is: "... Nor do those outside the
covenant know its rest," ("Outside the Covenant" being a euphemism
for "the uncircumcised.") The new edition translates it: "... Nor do
others share in its rest." I find the new translation to be less than honest.
If it is so important to say in Hebrew, wh-\V (uncircumcised), why not
say so in English as well?

Almost all of the prayers that are usually chanted by the con-
gregation have been supplied with transliterations. I fully agree with
the premise that a large number of our congregants barely read He-
brew, and that in order to enable them to participate in the service it is
necessary to provide them with transliterations. However, I find that

the transliterations in the new edition lack consistency. Moreover, the
difference in the pronunciation of the PU KM? and Vi K110 are not always
there. A great many WV1 DW are transliterated incorrectly.

While the main concern of the hazzan is the Hebrew content
of the prayer book, I cannot refrain from making several comments
concerning the English translations and special English Readings.
The new edition of DlW O^V TRp contains many more opportunities
for the congregation to participate actively in the service through the
English selections. Regretfully, one of the main flaws of the first edition
has been carried over to the new one, namely, the omission of clear titles
for the various selections. The result is that announcing a selection can
becomevery cumbersome. For example, the prayer obil? J"Dr]K (p.2cj)has
five English selections, three unison and two responsive. I have heard
it announced as follows: "Let us read together the second paragraph
under the line, on the left side of page 29." How much simpler it would
have been if that selection had a clear descriptive heading. The old RA
Sinn niEpS IfVO (edited by Rabbi Gershon Hadas) could have served as
an excellent paradigm. An improvement that the new edition contains:
When the English reading consists of a Psalm, its number is listed
in the beginning. The first edition listed the number at the end of the
Psalm, often on the next page.

In the masterly Introduction to the new edition, it is noted that
even in the few short years between the first and second edition, English
usage has undergone many changes. Since our society has grown more
egalitarian and inclusive, a new sensitivity has emerged in the way we
speak of God. The new edition has dealt with the excessive dependence
on masculine imagery by eliminating strictly masculine terms, such as
"Lord," "Father" and "King." The term "Lord" has been replaced by
"Adonai." However, the Introduction points out the decision (which I
think is wise) to be "gender-sensitive," rather than "gender-neutral."
Thus, the pronouns, "He," and "Him" have been retained when needed.
The trouble, as I see it, is that the language sometimes tends to become
awkward. So far, the constant use of "Adonai" instead of "Lord" has
felt strange and artificial to me. But I will probably get used to it.

There is a ubiquitous congregational response in every service,

that does not appear anywhere in the printed text of any prayer book.
It is the formula, \UV "jCO\ Kin "Jil3 , and JQK, chanted (or recited) by the
congregation in response to the cantor. This responsive congregational
formula is chanted by heart as though spontaneously. I wish that some
reference to this important part of the worship service (which is invis-
ible in the prayer book) was included in the Introduction to the new
edition of Dw WV "VPTp, along with some of the basic rules, as I had
urged the editorial committee to do.

Let me conclude by stating that I am not satisfied with our limited
involvement in the preparation of the new edition of nhw WW "lHp,
although it was considerably more than the zero involvement of the
Cantors Assembly in the preparation of the first edition. Despite the
errors and omissions that I have noted in this article, DW W'V "lHp is
the official prayer book of the Conservative Movement and, as such,
sets the standard of worship for our entire Conservative community.
I strongly urge all members of the Cantors Assembly to give this new
edition of Dibl# WV 1HD their support. Let us hope that by the time a
third edition is being prepared, the Cantors Assembly will be given an
opportunity to be fully involved, and that we will be able to give it an
unqualified endorsement.

Seven Sinfonie a 5 by Leonora Duarte. Edited by David Pinto.
CMP 448 Published 1998. With Biographical Introduction by
Rudolf Rasch. Corda Music Publications, 183 Beech Road, St.
Albans, Herts, AL3 5AN, U.K. Tel/fax 01727-852752 email: or-
ders@cordamus.demon.co.uk www.cordamus.demon.co.uk Price: 7
British Pounds plus postage.

Anyone trying to find repertoire for a concert program of early
Jewish music knows that once you get beyond Salamone Rossi, it is
indeed, slim pickings. That being the case, this modern edition is most
welcome, for not only does it offer seven instrumental pieces by an early
17th century Jewish composer, but by a 17th century woman Jewish
composer! The distinguished Dutch musicologist Rudolf Rasch has
unearthed much information about the Duarte family and on Leonora
Duarte (1610-1678?) in particular. We also owe David Pinto a note
of thanks for bringing out for the first time a modern edition of this
music. The original manuscript is housed at the Christ Church Library,
Oxford Mus. 429.

This edition includes a full biographical essay on Leonora and
her family, and what a remarkable family it was. Originally Portuguese
Jews, the family settled in Antwerp in the 1 6th century and established
themselves as leading jewelers and diamond merchants. As with many
Marrano Jews, the family superficially adopted the Catholic faith but
evidence indicates that they kept their Jewish spirituality alive, kept
ties with the Jewish community, and in some cases, later reconverted
back to Judaism. Not only was Leonora's family wealthy but they
were culturally sophisticated and had social contacts with some of the
leading figures of the day including Constantijn Huygens, William
Cavendish, and Nicholas Lanier. Leonora's brother Diego Jr. was also
a composer, author and collector of art of the very highest quality. It is
thought that a portrait of Leonora was commissioned.

The original manuscript of the music is in five partbooks and
bound together. Dr. Rasch has determined that the written text is in
the hand of Gaspar Duarte, Leonora's father. Both Rasch and Pinto
speculate that the music is written for a consort of five viol da gambas.
This is very plausible for a number of reasons. The music might stem

from the second quarter of the 1 7th century and is rather old fashioned.
The writing is reminiscent of English viol music of the earlier period
and it has been speculated that Leonora actually studied with the
English composer John Bull, a musician closely associated with viol
repertoire. While there are written references to Leonora as a singer
and keyboardist, it was common for women of her class to have been
accomplished on viol as well. However, instrumentation for the parts
are not indicated and this music is quite playable on a wide variety
of Renaissance wind instruments. This reviewer has performed these
Sinfonia using cornetts and sackbuts as well as recorder consort and
both bear very satisfactory results.

While not the work of a musical genius, these seven five-part
Sinfonia present some lively and contrapuntally interesting pieces. In
addition to the informative biographical essay by Rudolf Rasch, editor
David Pinto gives a detailed account of the manuscript source as well
as a textual commentary, explaining all editorial changes from the
original. This modern edition comes with a full score and parts to
the seven Sinfonia and the parts are presented in two versions; one
using the original clefs and another with only treble and bass clefs to
accommodate recorder or other ensembles. The music is printed in
large and readable typeface printed on sturdy stock.

Given the social constraints of woman during the late Renaissance,
it is a wonder that they managed to compose music. That this music has
survived and is from the pen of a Jewish woman is truly remarkable.
However, Jewish history is full of remarkable people and we are all
the richer for the activities of this one.

—Jeffrey Nussbaum

Let Jasmine Rain Down: Song and Remembrance among Syrian Jews. By Kay
Kaufman Shelemay. (Chicago studies in ethnomusicology.) Chicago:
The University of Chicago Press, 1998. [xvi, 291 p. ISBN 0-226-
75212-7.]

Let Jasmine Rain Down is an ethnomusicological account of cul-
tural memory as viewed through the pizmonim of the Jewish Commu-
nity of Aleppo, Syria, a community transplanted to New York City in
the early twentieth century. Shelemay's account is that of a "participant-
observer" including formal interviews, informal conversations and at-
tendance at concerts, cultural activities, synagogues and home rituals.
On the whole, her treatment is quite effective and maintains the interest
of the reader throughout.

Inasmuch as pizmonim form the primary subject of this book, it
is worth defining this unique musical genre. In modern Hebrew, the
word pizmon (singular form of pizmonim) denotes a simple song, or
more specifically the refrain of a song. The original meaning of pizmon
referred to the refrain of liturgical poems (j>iyutim) which embellished
set prayer texts. With respect to the Syrian Jewish community, the
pizmon can be said to have taken on a life of its own, evolving as it has
into one of the primary forms of cultural expression.

Let Jasmine Rain Down examines the pizmon tradition and its
significance to modern Syrian Jewish life in a fairly unique manner.
In researching the pizmon, Shelemay came to believe that the Syrian
pizmonim themselves provided not only the content, but the proper
methodology for study. As she states in her introduction:

"...I found that the pizmon tradition 'spoke for itself,' needing
only a little help from an ethnomusicologist to convey its story.
Over time, it became clear that insider perspectives not only had
determined the central unit of study, but had opened pathways
for its interpretation as well. Thus both the theoretical and the
methodological frameworks for this study in a very real way
emerged from the musical materials and exegesis of its carriers."

( P .2)

Following this view, Shelemay structures her account into six
"preludes" (i.e., presentation of a particular pizmon and its back-
ground), followed by ethnomusicological commentary on various
aspects of Syrian (and more generally Sephardic) Jewish music and
culture. The six featured pizmonim are recorded on an accompanying
compact disc (along with several other pizmonim) which provides an
authentic aural flavor to the written material.

Within its close to 300 pages, Shelemay does a masterful job of
weaving together a range of interesting topics in the field of Sephardic
Jewish music and ethnomusicology. Of particular importance to the
reader unversed in Sephardic Jewish music is the discussion of maqa-
mat, Arabic musical modes which form the basis for the melodies of
pizmonim and other liturgically-based traditions. The maqam is analo-
gous to the Ashkenazic Jewish musical concept of shteiger (a comparison
of which would itself be of great interest to Jewish musicology). Other
topics of interest include the relationship of Jewish and Arabic context
in pizmon content, the role of migration and migratory influence on the
perpetuation of a musical tradition, individual creativity within a set
cultural pattern, and the changing notion of genre in musical scholar-
ship. In each of these topics, Shelemay mixes theory and analysis along
with supporting quotations from her pizmon-informants. As such, one
never gets too far off in esoteric musing; the connection to the primary
subject matter is constantly reinforced and elaborated.

The above noted subjects are certainly ones which one would
expect to encounter in an ethnomusicological study such as this. How-
ever, Shelemay is not content to provide the expected. In addition to
these topics, she casts her net upon a broader goal, namely the elu-
cidation of mechanisms of memory, both collective and individual.
Shelemay in fact premises her entire discussion on just such a goal.

"...I seek to move ethnomusicological inquiry more directly into
the domain of memory studies.... I have used the psychological
literature to provide a working vocabulary and conceptual field.
From this perspective, it is clear that thtpizmon relates to memory
in several different yet interrelated ways." (p. 6)

Specifically, she theorizes that the study of pizmonim intersects
with broader studies of memory in the following ways: recall of melody
is an instance of what she calls an individual's "historic memory" (which
cognitive psychologists would consider aspects of both declarative and
episodic memory). Stated simply, recalling a melody helps one to recall
episodes from one's past. Second, recall of pizmonim involves recollec-
tion of musical trends from Arab songs popular at the time of their
composition (i.e., in that the melodies of 'pizmonim were borrowed from
popular melodies). Third, recall of a pizmon reminds one of liter-
ary allusions to liturgical and biblical sources from which lyrics are
in part drawn. Finally, inasmuch as pizmon lyrics also encode details
about composers and the individuals to whom a particular pizmon is
dedicated, recall of the pizmon links one to specific knowledge about
personages or historic figures of importance to one's broader com-
munity. In this way, the pizmon triggers both individual and collective
memory in rather unique ways.

As a cognitive psychologist (as well as a cantor), I found Shele-
may's attempt to bridge the gap between ethnomusicology and cog-
nitive psychology laudable. However, beyond occasional elaboration
on the points just summarized, I found no particularly new insights
for the study of memory mechanisms in these pages. Nonetheless, I
do feel that Shelemay substantiated her claim that the pizmon repre-
sents an interesting domain for memory study. Future investigation of
this domain that examined more specifically the cognitive processes
of memory retrieval and the resulting associations could no doubt
provide more substantive findings.

On the whole, Let Jasmine Rain Down is a fascinating study of
an equally fascinating subject. Its appeal should prove broad, with
something to say to historians, ethnologists, musicologists and the
occasional psychologist/cantor.

— Hazzan Scott M. Sokol

Hesped

In Remembrance of

Hazzan Louis Klein

Hazzan Stephen Stein
Executive Vice President
Cantors Assembly

It is with profound sorrow that I convey these words of condo
lence, on behalf of the Cantors Assembly, to the family of Hazzan Louis
Klein, Maurice, Sally, Samuel, Marcus and Laurie, to the membership
of Congregation B'nai Moshe and to the entire Jewish community of
Detroit.

It is perhaps ironic that at the time I received Hazzan Vieder's
phone call to convey the sad news of Hazzan Klein's passing, I was in
the process of editing biographies of cantors for the Assembly's soon to
be published Jubilee Journal. Among the biographies I was reviewing
was the one that chronicled the life and career of Louis Klein.

It was only a year ago, February 25 to be exact, when Louie and I
shared the stage of the Feinberg Auditorium at the Jewish Theological
Seminary. We were two of eight cantors honored by the Seminary
with the diploma of Doctor of Music, honoris causa. How pleased
his colleagues were that Louie was able to be present, knowing thi
obstacles he had to overcome in traveling to New York. I shall never
forget the joy and pride one could see on his face that afternoon.

Neither does it seem that long ago that Hazzan Klein conducted

a practicum of the Neilah service at a Cantors Assembly convention in
the Catskill Mountains. A few distinguished colleagues were asked to
re-enact a service as it would be conducted in their congregations, so
that the rest of us might experience a true sense of what it would be like
to hear them daven from the Amud. Louie was one of the Hazzanim
we wanted to listen to.

The Cantorate has been blessed with a select group of col-
leagues whom we have been able to look to as role models. These
are Hazzanim who have embodied the very best in both Hazzanut and
mentschlechkeit. Your Hazzan was such a person. We will remember
both his beautiful baritone voice and his kind disposition. Having
served as a Hazzan in Ohio for close to twenty years, I had the oppor-
tunity to see Louie regularly at regional meetings. He always had a
kind word for me, expressing genuine concern for my well being. As I
rose through the ranks of leadership within the Cantors Assembly, he
continually offered words of encouragement and congratulations.

It was two years ago, also on Purim, that the Cantors Assembly
mourned the loss of its most distinguished member, Hazzan Samuel
Rosenbaum. Hazzan Rosenbaum had served as the Executive Vice
President of the Cantors Assembly for almost four decades. I know of
the mutual respect they had for one another.

It is difficult to find joy at this sad hour but in the spirit of Purim,
perhaps there is gladness in the knowledge that the qualities of Hazzan
Klein are also to be found in his successor, Hazzan Berris. It must have
given Louie great satisfaction to know that the standards he had set,
both on and off the pulpit, are being carried on in your distinguished
synagogue.

I wish that I could be present this morning to share these words
in person. Unfortunately, due to commitments within my own congre-
gation for Purim, I am unable to do so.

Once again, on behalf of the entire membership of the Cantors
Assembly, please accept my heartfelt condolences on the passing of
a most gifted Hazzan and a wonderful gentleman. T'hi Nishmato
Tzrurah Bitzror Hachayim.

Hesped

In Remembrance of

Hazzan Gregor Shelkan

Hazzan Stephen Freedman

Some twenty years ago, my life was changed forever. On abalmy August
afternoon in 1 981, 1 met our beloved "Grische" to begin the vocal and
hazzanic training which would eventually lead to my entry into the
cantorate.

Except for the specific date, those words might have been penned
by any number of colleagues who had the great fortune over the past
five decades to learn hazzanut, vocal production, Yiddishkeit and
mentschlichkeit from this extraordinarily gifted human being.

Born on the fifth night of Hanukah, descended from a family
of noted rabbis and cantors, Gregor Shelkan exhibited his musical
prowess at an early age when, at six years old, he sang in the choir of
the Libau Synagogue in Latvia. His musical career developed through
studies at the Vienna Conservatory, through becoming a soloist at
the renowned "Sulzer Temple" in that city, and through his eventual
ascension to the position of leading tenor with the RigaNational Opera,
where he sang until the German occupation in 1 941 .

Five years of incarceration in various concentration camps could
not dim the light that shone within the neshomeh of this remarkable man.
Following his liberation, marriage to the late Bertha Kerson Shelkan,
and resettlement in America, Hazzan Shelkan vowed to devote his life
to the service of Almighty G-d. Over the span of almost four decadi

he made good on that promise, as he served Congregation Mishkan
Tenia of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, his first and only pulpit, with
great distinction.

Grische andBirdie, as they were affectionately called, wereblessed
with two daughters, Tammy and Debra; two sons-in-law, Jerry and
Leon; and fivegrandchildren, Sarah, Adam, Naomi, Alezaand Rebecca.
They had great pleasure especially from their grandchildren, whose
artwork could be found throughout their home.

During the course of his illustrious career, Hazzan Shelkan d<
voted himself to the cause of hazzanim and hazzanut, through his
active involvement in the Cantors Assembly and the Jewish Ministers
Cantors Association of New England. He served as president of both
organizations; in addition, Hazzan Shelkan was noted for his extraor-
dinary fund-raising skills, as he raised several hundreds of thousands
of dollars for the Cantors Assembly in support of cantorial school
students and hazzanic publications.

Before it was "fashionable" to talk openly about the Holocaust,
especially from a survivor's perspective, Grische was forthright ir
telling his story, and pro-active in organizing and participating in com-
munity Holocaust commemorations and memorials. No one who ever
saw it could forget the sight of him wearing his faded concentration
camp uniform, marching in a solemn procession or chanting a pas-
sionate Molei. In recent years, he took particular pride in his daughtei
Debra's involvement in One By One, Inc., an organization of children of
survivors and children of Nazis, engaged in dialogue with one another.

His retirement in 1986 was anything but! Hazzan Shelkan re-
mained a fixture at Mishkan Tefila's daily minyan, and he continued to
officiate, both on the pulpit and off, as needed by his congregation.

There can be no doubt that Hazzan Shelkan touched the lives of
countless people, Jews and non-Jews alike. His stirring remarks on
Ralph Edward's "This Is Your Life" program; his powerful, captivat-
ing voice; his presence at so many community events, among them the
first-ever Black/Jewish Passover sedarim; his ability as a vocal thera-
pist; his compassionate, caring nature. All bear witness to this unique
individual.

It may be presumptuous to single out any one particular group of
people as havingbeen more profoundly influenced by Hazzan Shelkan.
I take that risk, however, by stating that it was we, his hazzanic col-
leagues, who were most touched by the gift of his life.

He was our teacher, not just through instruction but by example.
He was our friend, not just our colleague. He was our mentor and
advisor. He helped us to help ourselves, to better ourselves as hazzanim
and as human beings.

And he had a unique gift for communicating ideas in a way that
was at once simplistic and deep. He would say "reaching is screeching"
to a non-Jewish voice student with the same ease that he would say
"Torah lo bashamayim hi" to a cantorial student. And both would get
the message, loud and clear!

It's hard to know how many active hazzanim owe their careers,
or their voices, or their pulpits, to Hazzan Shelkan. What's more
important than the statistics, however, is the knowledge that those who
studied under this master have been imbued with the values, the sense
of dedication and commitment as k'leikodesh that Grische personified.

Hazzan Gregor Shelkan has been described as "a veritable patri-
arch of the American Cantorate." While he no doubt would have ap-
preciated that accolade— as he was honored repeatedly and deservedly
throughout his cantorial career— I'd like to think that he would be just
as content to be remembered as a good and kind person who harbored
no ill-will toward anyone, a person who devoted his life to G-d and
His chosen people.

Those of us who were privileged to know this man and call him 01
friend feel a deep and abiding sense of loss with his passing. Anotb
link to a dying generation has been broken, and we, his successors,
have an obligation to uphold all that was dear to him. May the shininj
example of his life always serve to illuminate the right paths for each
of us, as hazzanim and as people.

T'hinishmato tzrurab bitzror ha-chayim.

Hesped

In Remembrance of

Joshua Gluckstern-Reiss

Hazzan Henry Rosenblum

As the tears welled up for me as they did for each of you, I turned
to our tradition, to the Tanach, for some consolation. But as I'm sure
you agree, it is incredibly difficult to find that consolation as the pain
of losing our dear Josh is almost too much to bear. How do we find
consolation when tragedy j ars our sensibilities? When there is no rhyme
or reason that we can understand or make sense of?

And so, like a bee drawn to honey, I found myself looking at
the book of Kohelet and trying again to find meaning in those words.
"Lakol z'man, v'eyt l'chol chefetz tachat hashamayim. Eyt laledet v'eyt
lamut, eyt lata' at v'eyt la'akor natua. Eyt laharog v'eyt lirpo, eyt lifrotz
v'eyt livnot. Eyt livkot v'eyt lis'chok, eyt s'fod v'eyt r'kod."

"to everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under
the heavens, a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a
time to uproot the planted, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to
wreck and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to
wail and a time to dance."

I can hear Josh singing these words, but only believing half of each
verse. Josh could relate to birth, to planting, to healing, to building,
to laughing and to dancing, but death, uprooting, killing, wrecking,
weeping and wailing were just not part of his vocabulary. This vibrant
lover of people, of justice, of yiddishkeit, of "chazzones", of all types of
Jewish music, of kids and Camp Ramah; of "Hazamir", the National

Jewish High School Chorus that he conducted; this barrel-chested
sweetheart who loved his wife and family limitlessly, and who was loved
and supported by them in ways that defy description; this wonderfully
talented hazzan and sh'liach tzibbur who j ust wanted to be able to share
of his gifts with others, and did!!! This fighter who stared the angel
of death in the face both in his youth and again in his very last days,
and battled with a courage and determination that was remarkable, for
though weakened physically, Josh's spirit and resolve were unshakable.
This was a man who believed in life and in living it fully. His passions
wereclear and his drive to work for things he cared about was unbridled.

One of those things he was passionate about was the H. L. Miller
Cantorial School. He was grateful that he could get a superb education
there, enabling him to become a professionally trained hazzan, and an
outstanding one at that. He wanted to help make the school even better
than it was and worked tirelessly at identifying areas to be addressed
for improvement in the years to come. He looked forward to my coming
to the school and had already sent me pages upon pages of evaluations
and critiques for my edification so that I could "hit the ground running"
upon my arrival. He hoped to eventually be able to teach in the school,
and I can assure you he would have been a great asset to us.

Josh also loved the Cantors Assembly, its inner workings and the
people who make up its leadership. He saw the assembly as his extended
family, comprising those who shared his love of music, tefillah and
hazzanut. He had very quickly made a name for himself as an "up and
coming" star, an example of the finest that the school could produce.
Josh understood the importance of a strong relationship between the
school and the Assembly, and was already hard at work at continuing to
cement the bond between students and cantors in the field. He always
looked forward to going to Cantors Assembly conventions; to learning
something new, hearing a new recitative, discovering a new piece of
music that he could use in shul, meeting a new friend. Josh's days
were few in number, but they were filled with substance, depth and
significance. Josh knew that he wanted to serve God and the Jewish
people, and he did it with all his heart, and soul and might. He stood
here in this sanctuary on the Yamim Noraim because he knew that this

was where he belonged and where he needed to raise his voice.

"Eyt laledet" a time to create the spiritual time and space that
connect us to God. "Eyt lata'at" a time to plant the seeds that bring
us closer to the good that lies within each of us. "Eyt lirpo" a time to
heal the wounds that separate us from each other. "Eyt livnot" a time
to build a better world for the generations to come. "Eyt lis'chok v'eyt
lirkod" a time to laugh, and sing, and dance, and enjoy all that life has
to offer for as long as we are able. "Eyt livkot v'eyt s'fod" a time to cry
and a time to mourn, for dreams unrealized and all that might have
been. We are all much poorer with Josh's passing but richer for having
been touched by him.

"T'hey nishmato tz'rurah bitz'ror hachayim" May his soul be
bound up in the bond of the living. "Y'hey zichro baruch" may his
memory ever be for a blessing, and let us say: Amen.

B'racha Acharona

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Yism'chu

In memory of Cantor Joshua Gluckstern-Reiss

Cantor Scott Sokol

Copyright © 1999 by Scott M. Sokol, All Rights Reserved

shit Repeat

B 'racha Sh 'vi 'it

For Seth and Jen

Andrew M. Grec

Coyyi ighi. (O i «■'« Audvcw More Grcs:,e. AM i Mva ;

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